5 Bloggers Reveal Their Journaling Method and Why

Hello Fellow Journalers!🖊️📖

We have a special post for you today. Five fellow bloggers wanted to share what journaling has done for them. Keep reading to see their preferred methods, their transformative experiences, and how it can help you.

THERAPY JOURNAL

Therapy journaling is a technique that can be used to learn healthy coping mechanisms while overcoming mental and emotional difficulties. The act of writing down one’s thought’s can also help promote self-awareness and personal growth.  The most popular form of therapy journaling is cognitive behavioral therapy or CBT journaling. But a 2005 study found that simply expressing your thoughts in a journal can be just as helpful in reducing depression symptoms as a CBT structured journal. (1)

Let's hear from Jenn Chen, a family and newborn photographer in the Walnut Creek, California region, on why she utilizes therapy journaling.

"It's helped with my ADD as a small business owner. I was diagnosed with ADD years ago and journaling has been a lifesaver! I'd struggled so much when starting my business and forgetting ideas I had, or different things I wanted to implement for the future. My therapist suggested journaling, and not only has it been handy to be able to look back on my ideas, somehow the act of writing things down helps my brain put order to my thoughts!"

You can find her on Facebook and Instagram.

PLANNER JOURNAL

Planner journals are found to help with time management, reframing focus on positive emotions and goals, while reducing stress and encouraging gratitude. Whew! What a powerhouse journaling method! (2,3)

Let's hear from someone who uses the planner journal method. Katie writes a blog called KT Likes Coffee, that focuses on motherhood and coffee. She also employs planner journals for her daily life.

"I've tried many different journaling methods, but right now my favorite is my monthly Silk & Sonder planner/journal. It allows for a combination of guided journaling, self-reflection, and planning. It's been great for helping me manage my day-to-day life as well as do something for myself, including setting goals and tracking daily habits."

You can find her on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Etsy, and Buy Me a Coffee.

BULLET JOURNALING

Bullet journaling is an impactful attack method for goal setting, increasing motivation and productivity. When done right, bullet journaling can cultivate gratitude and focus on positive emotions. (4, 5)

The following two bloggers are avid bullet journalers. Read on to see why!

Valerie Rose AKA The Weary Educator writes a blog to revitalize education.

"Personally, I always buy blank journals for bullet journaling. I don’t like lines because they feel restrictive. In addition to bullet points, I like to use pages for word clouds, and mind maps, depending on the idea. I teach my students to take notes when they’re reading this way. I have a few templates and help them find the best style for them. I think this helps students really find something that works for them."

You can find her on Facebook, Youtube, Instagram, and X.

Robyn Lewis is certified professional coach with 20 years of experience, who writes about leadership development, parenting, and personal growth.

“Bullet journaling is my favorite way to creatively express myself and organize my thoughts at the same time. My bullet journal pages are a colorful representation of doodles, goal lists, prompts, checklists, inspirational quotes and trackers. Bullet journaling allows me to explore how my feelings and thought patterns impact my forward progress. I absolutely love how it reads like a gorgeous picture book of personal growth!”

You can find her on Facebook, LinkedIn, Pinterest, TikTok, and X

GUIDED JOURNALING

Guided journals are getting some special love from the research community. A 2022 study found that guided journals can be another method to help fight off insomnia. A 2020 study found that guided journals assist people with processing their trauma. Overall, guided journals have the potential to increase self-awareness and self-compassion while helping develop resilience. (6,7,8)

Ronda Rainey writes a blog called beautifullyover40, focusing on health, aging beautifully, relationships, career, home organizations, and life changes after 40. She's also a fan of guided journals.

"My favorite journaling method has been using guided journaling prompts. These prompts provide structure and direction to my writing, making it easier for me to express my thoughts and emotions. Instead of staring at a blank page, I am provided with thought-provoking questions that encourage self-reflection and honesty."

You can find her on Facebook, Instagram, Buy Me a Coffee, and on Pinterest.

That's it for this post. Thank you for reading. Show some love in the comments and share your favorite journaling method. And don't be shy, repost on your favorite social media page!

-A Very Enthusiastic Journaler

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1. Smyth, J. M., & Pennebaker, J. W. (2005). Expressive writing and health: Findings, theoretical mechanisms, and future directions. Psychotherapy: Theory, Research, Practice, Training, 42(4), 233-255.
2. Al-Kharouf, J., & Al-Shehri, M. (2022). The impact of using planner journals on time management skills, stress levels, and goal achievement among university students with ADHD. Planning Practice & Research, 37(6), 909-928.
3. Ng, P., & Hui, B. C. M. (2020). Planner journal use and happiness: The mediating role of goal setting and gratitude. The Journal of Positive Psychology, 15(4), 412-421.
4. Tholander, J., Sundqvist, L., & Höök, K. (2018). Crafting personal information: Resistance, imperfection, and self-creation in bullet journaling. In Proceedings of the 2020 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (pp. 1-13).
5. Ng, P., & Hui, B. C. M. (2021). Bullet journaling and happiness: The mediating role of goal setting and gratitude. Frontiers in Psychology, 12, 642903.
6. O'Brien, M. E., & Hölzel, B. K. (2019). Guided journaling for mental health: A systematic review of the literature. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 10, 94.
7. Lutterodt, M., & Browne, J. (2020). The impact of guided journaling on the mental health of women who have experienced trauma: A mixed-methods study. The Arts in Psychotherapy, 67, 102029.
8. Smith, A. J., & Pennebaker, J. W. (2022). The impact of guided journaling on sleep quality in adults with insomnia: A randomized controlled trial. Sleep Medicine, 90, 126-134.